Masa Israel Journey Blog

I always found it quite convenient that the academic year and the Jewish year started at the same time. My family would gather together to celebrate the High Holidays, discuss plans for the upcoming year over festive meals, and then disperse back to our respective towns and states as soon as the last shofar blowing was over. This past year I took a gap year and went on the Masa Israel-sponsored Nativ College Leadership Program in Israel. I left for Israel in September and I was a bit anxious; not only was I about to create a life for myself in a foreign country, but I was also embarking on this journey on my own during a time when I usually found myself surrounded by my family and closest friends.

About two weeks after my arrival in Israel, I felt the holiday season permeate the air in a way that is...

Abraham's Daughters, written by Masa Israel Journey alum, Elissa Lerner, is a new play featured at this summer's New York Fringe International Festival. The play tells the story of the intersection between college and religion in a way that many of us can relate to.

The plot begins on the first day of freshman year with Sarah waiting for her roommate to arrive. All she knows is that her name is Ranya and that she might be from the Midwest, which leaves Sarah and her friend Will from Jewish summer camp somewhat mystified. But when Ranya shows up wearing a headscarf, it's clear that she's actually from a well-known Muslim neighborhood in Michigan. Both Ranya and Sarah become friends with Kate, a Methodist girl from South Carolina and go on to experience all the firsts of freshman year – frat parties, hook ups and fights.